Part 3/17:
Critics, however, see this event as little more than a capitalist spectacle. As Matt Walsh and others have pointed out, the trip endured the same criticisms as any high-priced space tourism venture: insignificant scientific progress, purely symbolic—if not performative—gestures, and an event made possible only by extraordinary wealth. Former astronaut and commentator effectively argued that unless such trips contribute to meaningful exploration or scientific advancements, calling them a milestone for women or feminism is disingenuous. Instead, it underscores the immense wealth consolidating the power of the elite to sell space as a luxury commodity.